


Little Accidents

by firegrilled



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Humor, Light Angst, M/M, Mutual Pining, Porn With Plot, Porn with Feelings, Post-Blue Lions Route (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-15
Updated: 2019-10-29
Packaged: 2020-12-17 05:35:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 17,829
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21049154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/firegrilled/pseuds/firegrilled
Summary: After fighting to unite Fódlan Caspar and Ashe travel the land righting wrongs in the name of justice, to various degrees of success. When a series of mistakes domino into an adventure the boys are forced to confront the feelings they've suppressed.





	1. Warriors of Justice

**Author's Note:**

> Since I know what myself and some people are about, the smut will be next chapter and the following one. This is the plot part :D

Moonlight pierced through the canopy of leaves hanging over the road, lighting the way for a pair of travelers on horses. As the horses cantered down the path one of the riders let out a loud yawn. Metal armor clacked when he covered his mouth with his hand.

“Are we there yet?” The knight asked, sleep hanging from his voice.

“Asking questions you already know the answer to, Caspar?” His companion gently chided, a faint smirk coming to his face.

“Oh come on, Ashe, you know what I’m getting at! How far are we from this village?” Caspar rephrased. He shot his companion a dull stare, not that Ashe paid him any heed.

Glancing up at the night sky, the arrows in Ashe’s quiver juggled a bit when he shrugged his shoulders.

“Well we would’ve been there before dusk but someone insisted on hunting an elusive bird by himself,” Ashe cocked his head to give Caspar an accusatory look before returning his eyes to the road. He missed Caspar sticking his tongue out at him in retaliation. “So your guess is as good as mine. It shouldn’t be much further though.”

A distinct plopping sound echoed through the quiet of the forest as the horses passed through a puddle undeterred.

“So what? I wanted some meat and I rose to the challenge,” Caspar retorted.

Shaking his head, Ashe sighed. “That wasn’t the problem. Hunting it with your fists was.”

“Like I said, I rose to the challenge,” Caspar reiterated, flexing an arm while beaming with pride.

“I have arrows. We could’ve eaten much sooner if you allowed me to help. And we could be at an inn right now too,” Ashe stated what he felt like was the obvious, but Caspar deflected it with a flashy grin.

“We got food and we ate well, in no small part to those plants you found while I hunted. We both did our fair share!”

“Nevermind that I did all the cooking,” Ashe muttered, rolling his eyes. Despite his annoyance, he smiled at Caspar’s achievement. A light blush crept into his cheeks but the moonlight failed to reveal it.

“What did you say?” Caspar asked, squinting at Ashe suspiciously.

“Noth-” Ashe began.

“Ah, someone help!” A loud feminine voice interrupted the playful banter.

Heavy footsteps crunched through brush in the woods, drawing the eyes of the pair off the beaten path.

Both boys jumped off their horses with no extra prompting. Caspar led the charge in, not bothering to grab his trusty axe while Ashe followed in his footsteps. More yelling guided the boys up an incline and onto a hill where the trees parted.

Under the cloudless sky the silhouettes of one person chasing another stood out. The one fleeing fell forward, their pursuer grabbing the back of their shirt to prevent them from hitting the ground. The sound of fabric ripping as the victim struggled from their position caused Caspar and Ashe to hasten.

“Stop struggling, worm!” A deep voice ordered.

“Help! Let me go!” The victim shouted back, thrashing to get out of their pursuer’s grasp.

Ashe got about halfway up the hill when he knocked an arrow, taking aim at the pursuer.

“Halt, explain yourself!” Ashe demanded, his voice booming.

The pair on top of the hill froze.

Seizing the moment, the feminine voice yelled back, “Please help me! He’s trying to kidnap me!”

“Shut up! You’re mine!” The deep voice yelled. “Go away, this is none of your business.”

“Like hell it isn’t!” Caspar vehemently disagreed, reaching the top of the hill.

Upon closer inspection Caspar could better make out the pair in front of him. A big, burly brigand held the half-torn shirt of a girl with long hair. A distinct facial tattoo on the man’s face caused Caspar to grit his teeth and barrel forward.

“Argh!” The man grunted when Caspar took the initiative and sent a devastating punch into his chest. The man’s fist let go of the victim thanks to the sheer force of the attack.

The crack of bones echoed down to Ashe’s ear, causing him to wince.

“Caspar!” Ashe called out, lowering his bow when he saw the man collapse after his friend’s mighty blow. He jogged to the top of the hill in time to see Caspar grab the man by the collar.

“Where are your friends at?” Caspar demanded to know.

The brigand smirked, blood dripping out the sides of his mouth. He answered the question by spitting blood onto Caspar’s face.

“Wouldn’t you like to know? I’m sure-” The man began to taunt before he coughed up more blood, some spattering onto Caspar armor. “I’m sure we could’ve found a use for you, pretty boy…”

“Tell me!” Caspar shook the man, his head rolling back as he took his last breath. A sick smile remained on the pursuer’s face. Muttering a curse, Caspar threw the body to the ground in a graceless move that made Ashe flinch.

When Ashe made it to the top of the hill he surveyed the situation and soon saw the tattoo of a scorpion on the dead man’s face. Next to the corpse was the clearly shaken victim, tears at their eyes as the shock slowly wore off.

Bending down, Ashe offered a hand to the frightened victim. “There, there, it’ll be alright. We’ll escort you back home.”

“Yeah, you’re safe with us,” Caspar stated, swallowing his frustration and putting on a wide grin. He walked over as the victim took Ashe’s hand and slowly got to their feet.

“My hero!” The victim declare before pulling Caspar into a hug and kissing him on the cheek.

Caspar briefly went wide-eyed when the person pulled away, but he quickly regained his composure. He scratched at his nose in a moment of triumph.

A pang of jealously flashed through Ashe’s mind but it was gone before he thought to address it.

“All in a day’s work, miss,” Caspar chuckled.

It was then the victims shirt dipped a bit lower due to its damage, causing Ashe’s eyes to briefly flick down and surprised him. That wasn’t a—

“Oh, uh, I’m a guy,” the victim stated, a bit of shyness in his voice.

“Huh?” Caspar reacted, wide-eyed once more. “Well, my mistake. Let’s get you back home though.”

“Right! I live just down the road,” the boy informed them, grabbing Caspar’s arm and leading him down the hill and towards their horses.

Ashe took a moment to peer through the dead man’s belongings to try and find any sort of information but he was empty-handed except for a dagger and a glass vial with some sort of clear liquid inside it. Pocketing the vial and sheathing the dagger he followed the other two to the road. There he found the boy clinging to Caspar’s side and refusing to let go. Not that Ashe could blame him after what he just went through, but another jolt of jealousy stirred in his stomach.

“So what’s your name, stranger?” Caspar asked as Ashe emerged from the brush. “I’m Caspar and my friend over there is Ashe.”

The boy turned his head and offered a tiny smile to his other savior. “Pleased to meet ya. I’m Edward, but my friends call me Ed. Thank you so much!”

Caspar offered another reassuring grin while he checked the saddlebag on his horse, confirming that everything was where he left it. He didn’t notice Ed’s eyes glance over at him briefly.

“No problem, it’s what we do. Besides, that creep had it coming,” Caspar shuddered as he thought about the man. “Anyone willing to put that vile tattoo on their face is instantly on my bad side. Kidnapping villagers is just more reason for me to hate ‘em.”

“Oh, you know them?” Ed wondered, tilting his head slightly.

“In a sense. Caspar had a run in with them a while back and we’ve occasionally dealt with them on the road. Though most encounters end like that,” Ashe explained, slinging his bow over his shoulder.

“If you’re brave enough to face them then you might be able to help us! They’ve barricaded the old ruins in the forest and turned it into a base of operations. They’ve scared off merchants from coming here and kidnap us when they get bored of each other… I don’t know where the others went but I couldn’t stay there and wait to get sold or killed!” Ed hurriedly exclaimed, letting go of his savior to clench his fists. His eyes fell to the ground at the mention of other villagers, earning a frown from Caspar.

“They what?!” Caspar recoiled, raising his arm over his chest. He grit his teeth and looked to his travel companion. “Oh no, this won’t stand!”

“You’re going to want to do this tonight, aren’t you?” Ashe predicted, shaking his head before he received Caspar’s answer.

“Damn right! We’re not going to give them any time to hurt others! You’re not actually going to suggest we try and talk them out of it, are ya? ‘Cause-” Caspar started but Ashe cut him off.

“Of course not! Thieves and orphans are a different breed than those who torment helpless villagers and kidnap them,” Ashe spoke, dismissing the idea. “I was more worried about the timing. We’ve been traveling all day and we haven’t replenished our supplies since our last encounter. We have one vulnerary between the two of us, and your fighting style lends need to more than that.”

Caspar crossed his arms, mulling over that information. Thoughts of abused villagers drove him to grind his teeth. His knuckles turned white from how hard he dug his fingers into his bicep.

“I know I’m reckless at times…” 

“All the time,” Ashe corrected, earning an annoyed stare. That brought a tiny smile to Ashe’s tired face.

“But I can’t just give them free reign any longer. If something happens to anyone because we’re resting I won’t be able to forgive myself!”

To hammer the point home, Caspar pounded a fist into his palm.

“I’m not sure it makes a difference but if they don’t hear from their friend that you killed they may grow suspicious,” Ed chimed in, his voice low.

“Exactly!” Caspar agreed, gesturing to Ed. “Do you know where these ruins are?”

Ed nodded, a hopeful smile appearing on his face. “Yes! I could take you there now.”

Frowning at the idea, Ashe shook his head. Despite his gut telling him otherwise, he conceded, “Fine just be careful.”

Caspar nodded and pointed to the dark woods.

“Lead the way, Ed!” Caspar ordered.

Ed grabbed his wrist and guided it to the other side of the trail. “Actually it’s this way. Come on, handsome.”

Ashe’s eyes widened a bit at the sudden compliment, just as Ed lead Caspar by the wrist into the darkness. Not having much time to reflect on the line Ashe grabbed the reigns of both horses and lead them as quick as he could behind the enthusiastic pair.

“Hold up!” Ashe requested but he found himself slowly falling behind. Thankfully Caspar’s natural volume gave him a direction to follow at all times.

Time flew by as they travelled through the brush, eventually finding an overgrown path. It was wide enough accommodate both horses, implying a once important route but it had seen better days decades ago.

Even in the darkness Ashe could see where foliage had been hacked away to accommodate traveler’s on foot. Despite his rigorous studies, Ashe couldn’t think of any important keeps or structures from this area. Much to his surprise, the tree line stopped after a certain point before giving away to an aged cobble stone road that lead to a decrepit stone building.

The moonlight outlined a ruined keep, most of its towers crumbled away under time’s decay. At least one tower remained lit with someone standing watch, while another campfire in front of the only visible entrance had at least two more brigands exchanging stories over sizzling meat. Even from their distance the boys could smell the cooked game, causing their stomachs to grumble.

“How many of them are there?” Ashe whispered, unable to see more than three from their current spot. He ignored his rumbling belly in favor of tying the horses up.

“Hard to say, I only ever saw three or four at once but there’s at least six,” Ed informed him, still clinging to Caspar’s side.

Fetching Caspar’s axe, Ashe passed it off to his friend while drawing his bow.

“Well we still have surprise on our side. I might be able to get the ones by the fire but we don’t know a thing about the lay of the land.”

“Who cares about that? Get the ones at the gate and I’ll take care of the guys on the inside. Close quarters is my specialty,” Caspar bragged, taking his weapon from Ashe.

Ed backed up a bit from the boys. “Well, I got you guys here. I’ll wait for you!”

Ashe shook his head, glancing back at Ed. “No, go back to the village. I think we can find our way there once we’re done here but in case we don’t succeed we can’t risk you falling back into their hands.”

“No, I won’t abandon my heroes! Just give me something to protect myself with. I can handle anything!”

“That’s the spirit!” Caspar chuckled.

Seeing no way to argue with the pair, Ashe reluctantly reached into his saddle bag and gave Ed the dagger he pilfered from the brigand.

“Don’t use that unless someone comes for you. Stay here and be safe,” Ashe spoke, placing his hands on Ed’s shoulders as if planting him in place.

“Yes, sir,” Ed gave a mock salute.

As Ashe turned and took aim with his bow, a loud crack from behind him drew the attention of Ashe and Caspar. They turned to see Ed having already stepped on dried branch.

The boy offered an apologetic look and shrugged his shoulders.

“What was that?” A deep voice asked by the fire.

Sighing at his luck, Ashe mumbled. “Caution to the wind, then.”

With that he let an arrow go and hit his target, right in the neck. The brigand dropped to his knees, clutching at his throat.

“What?! Intrud- !” The other started to shout until a second arrow hit him on the back of his head.

“Caspar, now,” Ashe signaled and his buddy ran forward, grinning the whole way.

Caspar made it to the fire before the guard in the tower blew a horn, echoing loudly.

With his friend watching the gate, Ashe aimed up at the tower where the guard finished alerting his friends. He barely managed to grab his bow before an arrow lodged itself in his shoulder. A pain scream could be heard from the battlefield below.

“Wow, you’re an amazing shot,” Ed complimented, walking over and placing his hands on Ashe’s shoulder. “You’re also stronger than you look.”

Ashe choked on his thank you. “P-practice makes perfect. But I gotta go support Caspar. Don’t leave here, got it?”

With that Ashe ran towards the campfire while Caspar kept watch.

Ed’s eyes fell towards Ashe’s ass, bouncing back up to meet Caspar’s determined gaze. It was brief but Ed licked his lips when Caspar turned to run into the nearest open door.

“Oh I got it, alright. I got that and everything you own,” Ed muttered, turning to go inspect the saddle bags.

Caspar barely made it two steps before another man emerged from around the corner.

“Who the hell are you?!” The brigand demanded to know, bringing an axe down at full force onto the knight.

Caspar parried the blow with practiced ease, taking advantage of the opening and driving his weapon into the man’s chest.

“Your worst nightmare,” Caspar replied, pulling his axe free and glancing at the next person approaching.

“You’re dead!” The dead brigand’s companion corrected.

“Nope!”

Caspar dodged the man’s attack and countered by hitting him in the head with the blunt end of his axe. While the man recoiled in pain Caspar flipped his axe and brought the pointed end onto his head.

Ashe arrived in time to see the second man crumple to the ground. “I got the other side.”

“Race you to the top!” Caspar shouted over.

Through an exasperated sigh, Ashe retorted. “This isn’t a contest!”

“Don’t try and stop me!”

“I can’t,” Ashe replied quietly, knocking an arrow as he went room by room on the first floor. Much to his luck, he ran into no one. The sounds of combat drew the other brigands towards Caspar and allowed Ashe to have his run of the area. Once he cleared the first floor he arrived on the second floor, a few seconds after Caspar who seemed to be a one man wrecking machine.

Knowing that his friend could handle himself in tight corridors, Ashe opted to find the stairwell and climb to the top of the one standing tower. He ascended the tower prepared to find any other bandits but it appeared they already went to the commotion below. When Ashe approached the top of the stairs he kept his back to the wall, listening intently. He could easily hear the pained breaths of someone moving around. The sound of wood scraping on wood indicated someone doing labor, presumably the man Ashe hit earlier.

“What the hell is taking those idiots so long?” A man muttered.

Ashe saw an arrow get chuckled to the doorway, clambering harmlessly on the ground. Taking a deep breath, Ashe pulled on the drawstring and turned the corner. “I’ve got you, don’t move!”

Sitting on a table next to a bottle of mead was a gruff man, shirtless and showing off a rather hairy chest. A candle flickered next to a half-eaten meal of some sort of bird. The brigand narrowed his eyes but made no sudden moves. A bow and quiver sat discarded on the floor while a large axe was propped against the door behind Ashe. His stony grey eyes glanced at Ashe’s bow and then returned to Ashe’s face.

“Yer the shitstain that shot me earlier, aren’t ya?” The man guessed, leaning back. He scratched at his freshly gauzed shoulder and crossed his arms. “The fuck brings you here at this ungodly hour?”

“Putting an end to your evil, scum,” Ashe replied, his eyes tracing over the man’s body. To his surprise he saw no trace of a scorpion shaped tattoo. He saw many scars and other tattoos but not that.

“One of those justice types? Well aren’t you all high and mighty. Well I don’t know how you found us but my men will make mincemeat of yer scrawny ass when they get up here,” the man chuckled darkly.

“Last I saw my partner he was standing over a pile of corpses with no sign of slowing down,” Ashe smirked back, right as a pained scream echoed up the stairs. “Sounds like he’s winning.”

The brigand’s eyes widened as anger took hold. “Why you little…”

Ashe watched the man glance at his axe and then the arrows. “Don’t do it.”

Not heeding the warning, the bandit leapt for Ashe but barely made it a step before Ashe released his arrow. It met its target and the man slumped to the floor, hand outreached for Ashe.

Shaking his head at the sorry display, Ashe stepped over his arm. He inspected the room and determined that it was the only space on this floor someone could hide. He heard more shouting downstairs and soon picked up on footsteps racing towards him. He drew his bow and aimed it at the doorway.

A familiar face briefly peeked around the corner, causing Ashe to drop the bow. “Ed?”

“Don’t shoot!” Ed exclaimed, sticking his hands up as he entered the room.

“What are you doing here?” Ashe wondered, slinging his bow over his back.

Ed’s eyes bounced around the room before landing on the dead brigand. He quickly ran over and sent a mighty kick into the man’s side.

“This is for taking me from my home!” Ed shouted, following up with another blow. Tears welled up at the side of his eyes. He fell to his knees and pulled out the dagger Ashe gave him. “And this is for what you pigs did to me!”

Ashe watched in brief horror as the boy repeatedly stabbed the brigand with the dagger, quickly dropping to his knees.

“Ed, its ok! I’m here for you! You’re safe now. They can’t hurt you anymore. He can’t hurt you anymore,” Ashe reached over and pulled Ed into a tight hug. He felt the tears streaming down Ed’s cheeks as the boy broke down sobbing. “I’ve got you.”

Ed slowed his movement, allowing Ashe to tighten the embrace. Slowly he returned the hug, still grasping the bloody dagger in his hands. Bit by bit his hand slipped lower as his sobs quieted down. Once his composure was seemingly regained, Ed replied, “And I got you.”

Ashe barely had a moment to process those words when a loud gasp escaped him. His eyes widened and stared ahead, lips quivering. A sharp pain emanated from his lower back before he felt another one in his upper back. “W-what are you doing?”

Ed pulled away from Ashe, wearing a twisted smiled.

“Killing you, duh,” Ed rolled his eyes, as if stating the obvious. “Some people like to be loud and boisterous like these dirty bandits and your buddy, while others prefer to be more cautious and precise like you. Then there’s me who likes to be up close and personal.”

Falling back onto his ass, Ashe scooted away from Ed as he felt a familiar warm liquid stream down his back. “Why?”

“Why? Because I found two idiots willing to play the hero while I robbed ‘em blind. And I got to kill two birds with one stone metaphorically by tricking them into killing the bandits that kidnapped me earlier. Thanks for that save by the way,” Ed informed him, stepping over Ashe’s body and planting a foot on one of his wrists. He bent down as he heard another pained scream from below. “Why you though? Because I hate morons who preach about justice and you both fit the bill perfectly. But you had to be first because you’re clearly the brains of the operation.”

Ashe let out a pained groan as Ed shifted all his weight onto his foot, purposefully pressing it harder into Ashe’s wrist. It felt like something was going to break but the bone snapping never came.

“Caspar really is a freak of nature though. To be able to take on everyone without a second thought? Man he’s as skilled as he is cute. Like a really dumb puppy. I’m going to enjoy my time with him, comforting him when he discovers his friend died saving poor little me from the big bad bandits…” Ed feigned a sad face, batting his eyelashes at nothing. The façade fell, replaced by a disgusted look on his face. “I should get some fun out of him before I cut him loose, along with his throat. Thanks for that.”

“I’m not… finished yet…”

To add further injury to insult Ed leaned over and sent the dagger straight into Ashe’s gut.

Ashe coughed up blood, a coppery taste filling his mouth. He wanted to speak but found himself unable to do so. Instead, a shaky hand reached for the pouch on his side. He wanted to wait for Ed to look away but he didn’t have much time before unconsciousness took him, then death. Before he could grasp the vulnerary Ed plucked the glass for himself.

“Really? Like I’d let you use something like this,” Ed laughed before pocketing it. He stepped off Ashe’s wrist and took a moment to compose himself.

Ashe watched with horror as the boy easily put on a distressed look and shouted down the stairwell. “Caspar, come quick! It’s Ashe! He’s… he’s… oh goddess!” Ed feigned panic sickeningly well.

Horror and disgust twisted in Ashe’s gut along with the dagger Ed so kindly planted there. He reached up weakly as he heard a panicked shout from below. Even in his current state he could hear the unmistakable loud steps of Caspar’s armor as his friend ascended the staircase. 

In mere moments his teal haired friend examined the room, easily finding Ashe bleeding all over the floor.

“Ashe?!” Caspar gasped, dropping over to his knees and leaning close. He instantly went for the pouch and saw the missing vulnerary. “What happened?”

“It was horrible! I was helping Ashe and the man jumped at me! Ashe took the hits before I could grab the bow and help him,” Ed gestured to bandit’s discarded weapons. “I tried to help him but- but! Oh goddess!”

Ed clung to Caspar’s side while Ashe weakly reached for his friend.

Caspar remained wide-eyed as he stared at his friend, fear written all over his face.

That expression burned itself into Ashe’s mind as he felt his consciousness start to fade. He managed to grasp his friend’s hand.

“I’m so sorry, Ashe! I should’ve listened to you. We should’ve gotten more supplies!” Caspar cursed, his eyes falling to his side. He clenched his fist, punching it into the ground. “I can’t bear to see you like this!”


	2. Fair Maiden

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caspar proves he's brighter than the average knife in the tool box...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised the smut begins at the end and continues next time :D

Panic filled Ashe’s veins when Caspar hugged Ed back, bringing him into a tight embrace. To his horror, Ed gave Ashe a cocky smirk while Caspar’s hands drifted further down.

“It’ll be over soon, he won’t be in any more pain,” Ed offered as condolences.

Ashe tried to muster the will to shout, to do something to warn his friend but the dagger made sure he didn’t move. He couldn’t leave Caspar at the mercy of that manipulator!

“Yeah, hopefully he won’t,” Caspar agreed as his hand slipped into Ed’s pocket and pulled out the vulnerary. Before Ed could process the action Caspar lifted him up and slammed him harshly against the wall. He allowed him to fall to the ground like a sack of potatoes before rushing to Ashe’s side. “Hold on one sec, buddy. This is going to hurt but it’ll get better.”

Ashe’s head rolled back for a moment before another jolt of pain from his gut brought him back to consciousness. His eyes fell to where Caspar grabbed the dagger and pulled it out. He opened his mouth to shout but found the vulnerary shoved in there, the soothing liquid going down his throat. The aged cherry taste made him want to gag but a dull warmth soon spread throughout his body.

“Ow, asshole!” Ed grunted as he regained his bearings. He didn’t have much time to gather himself before he found himself hoisted by the collar.

“Why Ed? If that’s even your name,” Caspar wondered, bringing him towards the window.

“How’d you know?” Ed squawked back.

“You mean besides the poor acting and you stealing our healing potion? Well for starters I distinctly recall Ashe telling you to stay put. There’s no way he’d let you join him in clearing this place out with only a dagger. That’s a liability and he calls me that every time I try something just as dumb,” Caspar stated, walking down the stairs with Ed in tow. “And don’t get me started on the same dagger he gave you being stuck in his gut. Like a big ol’ bandit would attack with a dagger when there’s a perfectly good axe on the floor. I know I’m not the shiniest spoon in the drawer but that doesn’t mean I’m a complete idiot.”

“That’s not- Ugh, never mind,” Ed shook his head, barely able to get any movement thanks to Caspar’s freakishly strong grasp. Worry filled the thief, his eyes darting about the rooms as Caspar navigated the compound of dead bodies. When they emerged outside the building he was a bit surprised. “What? Going to kill me out here?”

Caspar rolled his eyes, walking towards the horses. “If I were going to kill you I would’ve done it inside. No, we’re taking you in.”

“Taking me in? To who, the town guards?” Ed replied, disbelief in his voice. Caspar’s words soothed his nerves. He had no reason to doubt the warrior. “I just tried to rob and kill your friend. Why not kill me?”

Caspar reached into his saddlebag, momentarily pausing to realize its contents were gone. Moving over to the other horse he found all his stuff shoved in there carelessly with Ashe’s. Shaking his head, he pulled out a length of rope.

“Sit still while I tie you up or I’ll give you more than just a headache,” Caspar threatened as he set Ed down. Much to his pleasure the thief obeyed. While he tied him up, Caspar explained, “I won’t kill you because Ashe wouldn’t. Desperation can drive people to do dumb things, and I don’t know your story. A few years ago I would’ve ended you for backstabbing and trying to kill my friend but… Ashe has rubbed off on me.”

Ed listened quietly while his arms were bound behind his back and then to his legs. “Was that all he rubbed on ya?”

Caspar stopped to give the thief a puzzle look. “Yes?”

Ed chuckled. “You’re as dense as you are righteous.”

“And you’re going to be tied this this horse so shut up and don’t try anything dumb.”

Ed was thrown over the saddle so his belly was on the leather. His head jutted out one way and his legs the other. To his surprise Caspar made a series of knots to keep him in place like this.

“Just sit me up like a normal person!”

“And risk you riding off with my horse? No thanks.”

Ed grumbled, wiggling a bit to test the rope. The taut rope left very little room for give.

“Well if you want to save your friend I suggest you get a move on. That potion may give you some time but the village has no apothecary,” Ed informed him.

Caspar froze at that information. “What?!”

“Yeah, bandits drove away travelers and such. Wasn’t really a good place for business… Now get a move on.”

Taking the advice, Caspar ran back to the building. Before ascending the stairs he took quick passes at each of the rooms he could find yet none seemed to store any potions, only gauze and other remedial first aid instruments. With little other choice he returned to the top of the stairs where Ashe laid passed out against the wall, one bloody hand over his stomach.

“Just hang in there,” Caspar mumbled while he searched the room. Besides the brigand’s axe he found a box with a tidy sum of gold, something Caspar bagged while he took the rather fancy axe. “Hopefully this is enough proof we did the job.”

With little else to claim, Caspar walked over to his silver haired partner. He slipped an arm around his shoulders and the other under Ashe’s knees, picking him up bridal style.

Ashe’s head fell forward, still unconscious.

Caspar grimaced at the blood he felt and the small pool his friend left behind. Ed really did strike him in good places.

Quickly but carefully Caspar descended the stairs and reached the horses. Thankfully Ed remained bound to the horse despite some wiggling. Depositing Ashe onto the saddle, Caspar tied Ed’s horse to the other before releasing them from the trees. Next he climbed onto the saddle behind Ashe to provide some support while he navigated the horses down the overgrown path.

“Follow the path as far as you can then make a left. The village won’t be too far from it,” Ed informed him, earning a cocked eyebrow from Caspar.

“Why’re you being friendly now? How do I know you’re not lying to waste time?”

“Because if the love of your life dies I get the feeling I will too.”

“Love of my- what are you talking about? We’re travelling companions!”

Caspar could practically hear Ed rolling his eyes along with that loud huff.

“Really? That’s what you’re calling each other? No wonder he looked hurt when I kissed you earlier.”

Caspar straightened right up upon hearing that. “He did what?”

“Goddess, he’s blind on top of being dense? Have mercy on Ashe’s poor little heart…”

“We don’t- He doesn’t- Quit messing with me! You’ve already done enough tonight.”

“Clearly not. Keep an eye out and you might be thanking me later.”

Sighing, Caspar shook his head. “Doubt it.”

The remainder of the trip back to town was a quiet affair, though Caspar did learn more about their prisoner. Once the overgrown path gave way to the road, finding the path to town was easy enough. Pulling up to the wooden fence that the village called a gate was a different story.

“Halt, who goes there?” A guardsman shouted, fear shaking his voice.

“The guys who just killed all the bandits in the old ruins. Oh and a prisoner,” Caspar explained, gesturing with one hand to the other horse.

Several guardsmen exchanged confused glances before one stepped forward to inspect the prisoner. His eyes widened.

“E-Edward? You’re alive?!”

“Yeah, Caspar here saved me,” Ed confirmed, offering his usual charming smile.

The guard immediately unsheathed a sword and pointed it at Caspar. “What trickery is this? Why is he bound?”

“He tried to kill my friend here, who really needs a physician. Or an apothecary. Look, I even have the gold the bandits had and the leader’s axe. Is that enough proof?” Caspar gestured to the second axe on his back.

The guard squinted at him but looked at the others.

“You two take them to the tavern. The mayor should be there with the other elders, we’ll let them sort this out. No funny moves,” The guard warned Caspar, who simply nodded.

Following the guard’s orders, his comrades lead Caspar’s horse by the reins to the one building still lit by torches at such an ungodly hour. A few villagers were outside their houses, some opening their windows to see the new commotion. Word traveled fast as a small crowd formed outside the tavern by the time Caspar and the others arrived. One guard took Ashe’s unconscious body, earning a worried expression from Caspar. Another untied Ed from the horse but kept him bound while Caspar dismounted and followed them inside.

Sitting at a circular table was an older gentlemen along with a few other elderly folk. One had a scar across the bridge of his nose and was built larger compared to the others, an older guardsman if Caspar had to guess.

“What is the meaning of this?” The older gentleman asked, setting his drink down as the guards escorted everyone inside.

“This fellow claims to have killed Kota’s group at the ruins,” a guard explained, gesturing to Caspar who smiled widely.

“Really?! But Margrave Gautier said his soldiers would… well then,” The older man flinched, eyes wide. He braced his hands against the table, his companions having a similar reaction. “Does this mean- but wait, is that Edward? Why is bound?”

“He also claims that Ed attempted to rob and kill him and his partner here,” the guard gestured with his nose to Ashe who remained quite unconscious and bloody in another guard’s arms.

“Ed, is this true, son?” The older gentleman wondered, glancing to the thief.

Caspar’s gut fell upon hearing those words.

Ed averted his gaze, mulling his options. “Yes, father. These two saved me and I returned the favor by leading them to Kota and trying to take everything for us. Despite that he still spared my life and brought me here.”

Caspar let out a sigh of relief, thankful the thief didn’t try to lie.

“Well, thank you for retrieving my son,” the older gentle nodded at Caspar, though he furrowed his brow. Pausing for a few seconds, the man recollected himself before continuing. “You claim to have killed Kota and his men but what proof do you have? Sending my guards there is practically suicide and I don’t want to be tricked.”

“Oh, right!” Caspar spoke, quickly pulling off the axe.

The guards around him immediately pointed their weapons at him and Caspar froze with the axe over his head.

“At ease men, let him show his proof.”

Setting the axe on the table, Caspar went digging through his pockets while the guards inspected the weapon.

“It has the same cracks it got when it swiped that boulder months ago… and it’s the right size,” Some of the other noted until Caspar pulled out a hefty bag. He set it on the table in front of the mayor, opening it to revealing the gold he found on the top floor.

Everyone at the table went wide-eyed once more, this time for a different reason entirely.

“That’s all the gold I found in the tower. Hopefully it helps make-up for some of the damage they caused you all,” Caspar spoke.

The mayor placed his hand inside and jingled some of the coin.

“I-if this is their gold, there’s no way Kota would’ve parted with it alive,” the older man noted. He glanced at the older guardsman with a scar. “Assemble a team to go check the ruins at daybreak. We will have our answers then.”

The older guard nodded.

“What of your son, sir?”

The mayor glanced at Ed and shook his head. “Take him away for the time being, I’ll deal with him later. As for you, our saviors, what can we do to repay you?”

“Uh… a room and food until my partner recovers would be nice. Oh! Do you have an apothecary or perhaps some healing potions? Ashe won’t make it if we don’t get those,” Caspar requested, worry starting to fill him.

The mayor bit his bottom lip, sighing. “A very meager request considering all you’ve done for us. We’ll be happy to shelter you until your partner recovers but I’m afraid we haven’t had an apothecary or medicine since Kota blocked the trade route.”

Caspar frowned at that news, giving Ashe a nervous glance. “Is there a place where I can get herbs or supplies?”

Rubbing his chin, the mayor mulled over the question. However it was an elderly lady at the table who replied first.

“There is a garden the previous apothecary used to gather ingredients. It’s a tad overgrown since she moved away but if know how to create a potion you’ll have all you need there. I can take you when the sun rises,” the older woman offered.

That news brought a wide smile to Caspar’s face.

“Yes, please!” Caspar eagerly agreed.

“That settles it. Someone take this boy and his companion to a room, we’ll sort out the other details,” The mayor decided, several of the men breaking off and taking Ed with them.

The old woman stayed and offered Caspar a wrinkly smile. “Meet me here when the bell tolls. We’ll get what you need to save your friend then.”

“Thank you, miss!” Caspar bowed his head to her, earning a hearty laugh.

A set of guards took Caspar up some stairs and to a nearby room while another pair retrieved their belongings from the horses.

“We’ll take your horses to the stable but where would you like us to put your friend?” One guard asked.

“Please rest him in a chair, I’ll take care of him. Oh and bring me a bucket and a washcloth,” Caspar asked politely.

The guards nodded, setting Ashe down on a chair while another ran to get the requested items.

Managing to be a tad quiet, Caspar removed the upper portion of his armor and set it at the end of the single, large bed in the room. Not wanting to keep his friend uncomfortable a moment longer he started undoing the buckles on Ashe’s bloody clothes. Despite not being armor there were quite a bit to remove. Shoulder pad, gauntlets, cloak, and all were carefully stripped back and left on a bloody heap by the wall. During this process a guard returned with a bucket and set of rags.

“Need any help?” The guard wondered but Caspar shook his head.

“Thanks but no, I got this,” Caspar smiled back the man who then took his leave.

Caspar resumed his work, pulling off Ashe’s boots and armored leggings. It took a while but soon his friend was reduced to only his bloody undershirt and underwear. Stomach sinking at the sight of all the blood, Caspar removed the ruined shirt and tossed it into a corner of the room. A bloody strip on Ashe’s gut showed the final wound, and turning to his back Caspar saw two other bloody slits. While no longer bleeding thanks to the vulnerary they wouldn’t remain shut forever as his insides weren’t fully healed.

“Man, he got you good. Just hang on a bit longer and you’ll be back at full strength, okay?” Caspar reassured his unconscious partner.

Grabbing the washcloth, Caspar dunked it in the cool water and wrung out the excess. As gently as he could, he dabbed at the dried blood and some of the dirt. Bit by bit he cleaned his friend of the battle they just fought. Once his body was cleaned Caspar went for Ashe’s face. When he reached to dab the blood away from his lips Caspar hesitated. A chill ran down his spine into his hands. A mixture of fear and uncertainty entered his mind as Ed’s words replayed in his head. Shaking himself of the sudden fear, Caspar resumed his work.

“Snap out of it. He was just trying to get under your skin is all,” Caspar mumbled to himself. He dabbed the blood away from Ashe’s mouth and any other spots he could find before dunking the rag back into the bucket. Picking Ashe up bridal style once more, Caspar easily moved his friend to the bed. Caspar carefully pulled the blanket over Ashe. Pausing to stare at his friend, Caspar bent down to pull the cloth out of the bucket to wring it of water again. He folded it into a square and set it on Ashe’s forehead to cool him during the night.

As his hand pulled away Caspar stopped. Pressing his lips into a tight line, he reached down and gingerly moved some of Ashe’s hair behind his ear like he knew his friend always did.

“Rest well.”

Caspar removed the rest of his armor and piled it all together until he remained in only his undershirt and long briefs. Grabbing a spare pillow from the bed and blanket from the nightstand he laid down on the ground next to the bed. The wood dug into him but Caspar rolled himself into a burrito before sleep took him. His exhaustion finally caught up with him.

In the morning Caspar woke with a loud yawn and his shoulder yelling at him. A sensation of pins and needles stabbing his entire arm soon brought him to full consciousness as the arm he slept on slowly came to life. Digging through his belongings he found a change of clothes. He looked over at the bed and confirmed that Ashe was still very much passed out with a pained expression on his face.

“Don’t look at me, okay?” Caspar teased as he undressed his shirt and underpants, draping them over the back of the chair next to the bed. While naked, he took the cloth from Ashe’s head and dipped it in the lukewarm bucket. He cleaned off the necessary areas before drying with his shirt. “I’ll get a proper shower when you’re not at death’s door.”

Tossing the cloth in the bucket, Caspar slipped on a loose white shirt and loose dark pants. He took the bucket with him as he descended down into the tavern. At the request of the barkeep he left the cloth and pale by the stairs.

“Over here, sonny,” a familiar older voice called out to him.

Caspar looked to a table and saw the woman from the night before smiling at him with some bread and scraps of meat laid out in front of her. Smiling, Caspar joined her.

“Thank you!” He spoke, grabbing the nearest strip of meat and tearing a bit off. He took to stuffing his face with gusto while the woman watched with a bemused smile.

“You eat just like my grandson, without a care in the world and without utensils.”

Caspar briefly stopped to laugh and nodded. “Yeah, gotta get my strength up so I can get those herbs.”

The woman’s smile faltered for a moment upon hearing those words.

“About that. I can guide you there but I don’t know what makes a potion. Do you know what to gather?”

Caspar sighed, nodding a little. “Ashe, my friend, has a book in case we need to find ingredients. I can use that as a guide. It can’t be too hard,” Caspar replied, inhaling more of his food. “Right?”

The woman nodded and made small talk while Caspar finished his meal. He took only a moment to return to the room to find the aforementioned book before going with the woman to find the field.

She accompanied him outside the gate just as a group of fully armored guardsmen took off in the direction of the ruins. It took a bit of walking before Caspar and the woman found an old abandoned hut and a rather overgrown garden a ways from the town.

“She used to grow her own herbs here. Perhaps a few remain but I suspect they’ve grown out of their sectioned areas,” the woman observed the small forest of plants.

“That’s no problem, I got sketches of what I need.”

Hopping the fence in a single bound, Caspar opened the book to a page and set it on a dry patch of earth. He fell to his knees to begin the hunt of the necessary ingredients. While he scavenged for the needed items, the older woman sat on a worn bench and watched the boy work.

As Caspar gathered what he needed a small pile grew next to the book until he got to the last ingredient. He looked at the herb in the picture and frowned, glancing back at the garden. Unlike the other plants that had distinct leaves and even some blossoms this was just a plain green looking grass with only a few ridges on the blade. He saw a few like that in the garden but some of them smelled distinctly differently. 

“Well, if this is an herb garden then none of this should be poisonous… I hope,” Caspar muttered to himself, looking over at the old woman who nodded off a little bit ago. Getting onto the soil once more he pulled up a few of the plants that looked the part and added it to the pile. “Finished!”

Caspar’s announcement brought the woman out of her slumber and she took him back to town.

At the inn Caspar borrowed a pestle and mortar to grind the various herbs together to make a potion. He added it together with some water and other supplies the town gave him to get a basic potion. He filled a vial and took it up to Ashe.

“Come on, time to heal up,” Caspar spoke, gently coaxing his friend’s lips apart and holding his head. Pressing the vial to his mouth, Caspar tilted it back until its contents went in and Ashe reflexively swallowed.

Ashe wrinkled his nose and furrowed his brow, his expression akin to someone biting into a lemon. Soon his face softened. Considering the deed done, Caspar left Ashe to recover while he bottled the remainder of the potion.

“Give mixture to patient slowly until wounds close or until 3 doses are administered… Eh, I’ll give him more later,” Caspar read aloud, setting the medical guide down on the chair.

With extra time on his hands, Caspar collected himself and their belongings. He organized his armor neatly at the end of the bed while he acquired a basket from the innkeeper to gather Ashe’s bloody armor. While Caspar did his mundane chores the guards returned and confirmed the brigands’ death, instantly making the pair local heroes.

Caspar gave Ashe more doses of the medicine until he finished what he plucked from the garden, feeding more than the recommended amount. As Ashe recovered, Caspar took the opportunity to go wash up. The grime of the previous battle clung to his skin and clothes. Grabbing the basket of dirty clothes he descended the stairs to the inn. A look of shock overcame him when he saw the mayor and Ed waiting with a few others below.

“Ah, the hero! How fairs your partner?” The mayor wondered, smiling widely.

“He’s still recovering. He got his medicine though,” Caspar replied, offering an equally wide grin.

“That’s good to hear. While we can’t do much for you I thought we’d provide ample supplies and restock you and your friend for your journey. As well as repair your equipment. Is that your armor?”

Caspar nodded.

“Yeah, well it’s Ashe’s. Mine is in the room.”

“Well feel free to hand it over along with whatever you need repaired. We’ll gladly mend what we can. Ed, my boy, is excellent with thread. The least he can do repair the holes he made and clean whatever mess there is. His penance starts today.”

Ed bit his bottom lip and averted his gaze.

“Yeah, yeah. Just hand over what you need cleaned,” Ed mumbled.

Walking over to the would-be thief, Caspar handed him the basket.

“These for starters. I’ll bring some more by once I clean up,” Caspar stated.

“Oh no need for that! We’ll bring it over as soon as you start. There’s a spring on the far side of the village and we can bring you a change of clothes,” One of the women offered.

Mulling over the idea, Caspar smiled. “Sure!”

Caspar followed some of the girls out of the tavern, not noticing how they lit up once he accepted their offer. He also missed how Ed’s eyes did a once over of his frame when he left.

“Perhaps you’ll find someone like him some day,” the mayor stated, shaking his head. “Once you work off your crimes.”

“Maybe, but he’s already taken. Even if he’s too dumb to notice,” Ed rolled his eyes, taking the stinky basket out of the tavern and towards the laundry area with the other women.

Up in the room a soft groan escaped Ashe. Through half-lidded eyes he gradually came to, reaching over on the mattress to grasp at nothing. His mind was still hazy from odd and intense dreams he had and the current sticky wetness in his briefs didn’t leave much to the imagination about the dreams he had.

Rolling onto his side, Ashe let out a louder noise as his thigh brushed against a hardened and sensitive part of his body. Consciousness came back as he observed his surroundings. On the chair next to the bed he noticed discarded garments and a closed book. As soon as his mind started processing memories of the previous night, Ashe shot up in bed.

“Huh? Where am-” Ashe spoke before his body jolted in pain, bringing him back down to the mattress. His hand clutched his stomach, causing his gaze to drop. He soon realized his mostly naked state and his lack of wounds. It didn’t take much to put the pieces together. A warm smile returned to Ashe’s face as his panic died down. “Caspar, you did it.”

Falling back onto the mattress with a soft thud, Ashe’s green eyes drifted south while he relaxed. As his worries faded his body started to catch up to him. The dull pain from his wounds appeared to be healing but he also felt an intense sensation in his abdomen. Frowning at himself, he already knew the source of his problem: a rather big bulge that could be seen through the blanket.

“I suppose it has been a while,” Ashe sighed, his eyes glancing to the door. A lump formed in his throat as he thought about the risks. While he didn’t know when Caspar would return he felt an intense desire blooming in him. If he wasn’t already at full attention he would be soon enough, and explaining that to Caspar would likely be just as embarrassing. His eyes looked for something to clean up the potential mess with and they settled on the shirt on the chair. Leaning over he grabbed it.

Ashe let out a quiet breath when he reached under the sheets and slipped his underwear low enough to free himself. He bit his bottom lip to stifle a moan that threatened to escape as soon as  
his dick popped out, brushing against the rough fabric. Was he always this sensitive?

“Ah,” Ashe let out a breathy moan. Wrapping a hand around his shaft, his thumb and index finger barely met. He only gave a few experimental pumps and his dick was already weeping pre-cum. His mind tried to focus on one of his usual fantasies, drifting to a personal favorite.

Ashe pictured himself fresh out of battle, blood flowing and adrenaline rushing as he finished clearing a compound of villains. He navigated the building looking for a kidnapped peasant or perhaps a noblewoman, a simple premise but one that captured his ideals and interests. In his fantasy he found stairs that lead to the top of a dark tower. The further up he climbed the quicker Ashe pumped his cock. What he didn’t notice was how familiar the tower seemed, not piecing together the recent memory. 

When he reached the top he was stroking himself fast and pushing himself closer to the brink of letting go. In his head he pictured himself slinging his bow and knocking on the door to his would-be maiden. When he opened the door a familiar scent hit him first, then his eyes drifted over to a bed that was obscured by the dark of night. In the moonlight he could make out a bit of a body draped in a thin blanket.

“I’m here, fair maiden,” Ashe announced in his head, increasing his pace once more. He wasn’t even going to make it to the bed in his own fantasy.

“Fair maiden? I think you got the wrong person, but I’m sure we can work something out, Ashe,” a deep yet familiar voice called out to Ashe. Crawling forward into the moonlight, Caspar revealed himself with his trademark grin, the blanket that loosely covered him fell off the closer he got. Just as it was about to fall off his crotch Ashe jolted himself from his fantasy, cumming immediately.

Ashe managed to hit his chin with the first shot while he painted the rest of his chest white. It was an intense orgasm that left him moaning loudly at first before he covered his mouth with the shirt he stole. His face was scarlet from the tip of his ears down the bottom of his neck. His freckles faded from the intense embarrassment.

“Oh goddess…” Ashe mumbled into the shirt, taking a deep breath as he started to come down from the high. A mixture of shame and pleasure floated in his head. The same scent from his mind filled his nostrils when he realized whose shirt he grabbed earlier. Left with either the option of being a mess or dirtying an already used shirt, Ashe took to cleaning up his rather large mess.

Despite just having arguably the most intense orgasm of his life, Ashe found his erection very much present. “Why are you still here?” Ashe groaned. Perhaps it was Caspar’s scent? Ashe balled up the shirt, prepared to throw it in a corner when that same intense lust from before radiated from his abdomen. Briefly chastising himself for his weak will, Ashe brought the shirt up to his nostrils again.

His fantasy came back in full force, though this time he was now in that bed with Caspar, still dressed. He imagined his friend easily undoing his straps and belts, more than familiar with how Ashe’s equipment functioned. Piece by piece he undid Ashe’s armor and willpower until the last piece cloth fell from his chest along with his last shred of decency.

“You know I’ve always want to do this to ya,” Caspar whispered in his head, his devilish tone tempting him. 

“B-but we’re-”

“Friends? Partners? Travel companions? I’ve seen the way you look at me when you think I’m not paying attention. That’s not how buddies look at each other,” Caspar teased, his fingers coming to rest on Ashe’s shoulders. They drifted down his body at a tantalizing pace, sending electricity through Ashe. Caspar’s hands paused on the edges of Ashe’s pants before pausing to glance at Ashe. 

Ashe swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded.

In reality Ashe fell back against the mattress, moaning. His eyes drifted open for a moment and landed on the chair, noticing the other discarded garment. Without hesitation he reached out for it and wrapped it around his dick, thrusting his leaky erection into it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Caspar may not be book smart but he's street smart. And as caring as he is dense.
> 
> Anyways, as always comments are greatly appreciated. Please let me know what you think!


	3. Stumbling In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caspar and Ashe try to resolve the tension the best wya they know how: bickering and ultimately proving Ed right. Also featuring Sylvain and more fun with Ed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The smut is here. What more can I say?

Back in the village Caspar finished his shower, drying his hair with a towel the women so kindly left him. When he came out into the room, towel slung over his shoulder he heard a basket hit the floor. Caspar quickly turned around to see Ed blushing, holding a hand to his mouth.

“Ed? What’re you- Ah!” Caspar replied before covering himself with his towel.

A brief silence settled over the room until Ed coughed loudly and smirked at Caspar, still red in the face.

“Well, I was going to give you a change of clothes but wow. I’m going to remember that for the rest of my days,” Ed laughed at Caspar’s expense.

“Huh? Ugh, never mind. J-just give me my clothes,” Caspar requested, extending a hand.

Ignoring the request, Ed set a small pile of folded clothes onto the wooden bench near him with a small glass vial on top.

“You have nothing to be ashamed of Caspar, I’m sure Ashe will love it. Speaking of which-” Ed began, walking towards the exit.

“Ed.”

“-I found that little vial in his pockets. It’s lube so I thought I’d return it to him. He might not be as innocent as I thought…”

Caspar froze, quirking an eyebrow. “Like for greasing up equipment?”

Rolling his eyes, Ed smirked.

“Yes but that particular variety is meant for a more personal use. Namely for between two men if you catch my drift,” Ed explained, causing Caspar’s face to redden. “And on the off chance that you don’t because you’re you, I mean its for sex between-”

“Out! Get out!” Caspar yelled, giving Ed enough motivation to leave. He turned back one last time to get a nice view of Caspar’s ass.

Sighing, Caspar took a moment to collect himself. He set the vial aside and pulled the white shirt over his head before he noticed a small black fabric in the pile. Caspar picked up the odd garment and turned it around as it opened. It took him a few seconds before he understood what it was. His face darkened once more as he realized it was underwear, specifically one that hung his ass cheeks and only covered his crotch. He knew some of the Knights of Seiros wore them. “What’d Alois call ‘em? Jockstraps?”

Caspar shook his head and dawned the black garment, feeling remarkably exposed in the back yet also a bit more free. It was an odd sensation but he’d get used to it. Pulling on the pants he threw the lube in his pocket and journeyed back to the inn, wanting to check up on Ashe.

Finding the inn mostly empty, Caspar ascended the stairs and prepared to enter their room when he heard his name.

“Ah, Caspar…” Ashe’s muffled voice came through the door.

Pausing, Caspar didn’t open the door immediately. Instead he quietly maneuvered so he could look through a crack between the frame and the door. It didn’t offer much of a view but it gave him enough see what was going on.

Inside, Ashe laid in bed with Caspar’s crumpled shirt around his nose and mouth while he thrust into Caspar’s underwear with his dick. Not that Caspar could make out the size but his friend was definitely gifted there. The sight brought a dark blush to Caspar’s face and his new underwear suddenly felt a bit more cramped. Seeing Ashe like that left Caspar stuck in place and unable to look away.

Caspar didn’t know how much time passed as he watched his friend’s rhythmic movements but soon a lewd moan escaped Ashe, muffled by the shirt, his back arched up, and his toes curled. He tightened the underwear around his dick and froze in place while he rode an orgasm out. Caspar licked his lips and let out a soft moan as Ashe relaxed back into the mattress, his hand loosening around his dick and the other pulling the shirt off his face.

Ashe took a few deep breaths and closed his eyes, trying to regain control of himself yet the same heat remained in his abdomen. His eyes glanced down and confirmed his feelings, he was still hard. 

“Why? Why won’t you go down?!” Ashe demanded to know.

The sudden outburst jerked Caspar from his thoughts and caused him to stumble forward. The door opened to reveal Caspar falling to the ground, landing on his chest.

“Ow…” Caspar mumbled, not missing Ashe’s gasp.

“C-Caspar!” Ashe replied wide-eyed. He quickly pulled the blankets over himself and the messy clothes he used. It took a few moments for him to process Caspar’s method of entry until pieces started clicking into place. “Wait, why are you on the ground?”

“A-Ashe, you’re okay! And I – uh- I tripped,” Caspar lied weakly.

“I certainly feel a bit better but…” Ashe confirmed but didn’t want to make mention of his other problem. “But that’s beside the point. You’re many things, Caspar, but a good liar isn’t one of them.”

With his lame attempt at covering his actions up, Caspar frowned before sitting up and crossing his legs on the ground.

“I heard you calling my name in a weird voice so I peeked in and… well…” Caspar explained, averting his gaze and scratching the back of his blushing neck.

Mortification hit Ashe like a ton of bricks. He went wide-eyed and his jaw dropped. A deep blush hid his freckles and he too avoided Caspar’s gaze. “Y-you saw…”

“Yeah…” Caspar confirmed.

An awkward silence fell over the pair, neither willing to start the conversation or discuss the embarrassing matter.

Caspar’s curious gaze drifted back to Ashe’s body when he realized his silver-haired friend was staring pointedly out the window. To Caspar’s surprise he could see Ashe’s dick through the blankets.

“You’re still hard?” He spoke before his body caught up with his mind.

Ashe stiffened at the words and soon met Caspar’s gaze.

“It won’t go down! I’ve been trying!” He replied weakly.

“I saw.”

Caspar blushed deeply once more as another groan escaped Ashe.

“Why? Why were you watching?!”

Not wanting to answer the question, Caspar did what he did best and parried.

“The better question is why were you using my clothes?”

“T-that’s not important! What kind of knight watches another masturbate like a common pervert?” Ashe demanded to know.

“Uh, what kind of knight does that with his partner’s dirty clothes?” Caspar redirected it again. “Oh wait, I know! You.”

“One who apparently likes said partner!” Ashe blurted back, averting his gaze once more. He chose to stare at a rather interesting tree while his pale face turned a permanent shade of pink.

Caspar prepared to divert the response again until he realize it was an answer. “I told- wait, what?”

“I won’t repeat it. You can gather your stuff and leave me if you feel uncomfortable with me. I understand. I just thought you should know,” Ashe replied. His knuckles turned white from how hard he grasped the blanket and clutched it close to his body.

Caspar sat in silence as he processed those words. Unfortunately his first thought was Ed’s voice telling him ‘I told you so!’. Shoving that out of his mind he mulled Ashe’s confession over, chewing on his bottom lip the entire time. The thought of travelling without Ashe left him feeling more than uneasy and twisted his gut, an option he’d never consider.

“Ashe…” Caspar began, struggling to verbalize his thoughts.

“Go on, just say it and be gone.”

Hearing his friend sound so defeatist lit a fire in Caspar’s chest and cleared his uncertainty. “No, I’d never!”

Caspar’s tone brought Ashe’s gaze back into the room. He looked over and saw the determined expression on Caspar’s blushing face.

“Huh?”

“Even if I didn’t feel the same I won’t abandon you over something so… trivial. You’ve always had my back through thick and thin. We didn’t win a war to unite Fodlan just to part over a simple ‘I love you.’ We’re stronger than that!” Caspar vehemently disagreed.

Ashe’s jaw hung open at his friend’s fiery response but he tried to cut in, only to be cut-off by Caspar.

“I never said-”

“I think I’ve always known it and felt the same way! There’s no one else I’d rather spend my life with traveling and bringing villains to justice. I asked you to go on this trip for a reason, and maybe I didn’t know the exact reason at first, but it was always there!”

“That’s not- oh goddess,” Ashe groaned, covering his blushing face with his hands. He needed some time to cool his burning cheeks before replying. “I said I like you, not love you…”

“Oh. Well. I like me too,” Caspar replied, wearing a pained smile while his eyes stared at the floor. Only then did he realize the hole he dug himself into.

Not wanting to descend into another awkward silence, Ashe cleared his throat. “Maybe we can explore our feelings first for a bit before any more declarations of love. Okay?”

“Yeah, that sounds good,” Caspar nodded furiously. His eyes drifted down and smirked upon seeing Ashe’s crotch. “And maybe when you don’t have a hard-on.”

Ashe glanced down one more and let out another exasperated sigh. “Why? I’ve never had this reaction to a vulnerary before.”

At the mention of a potion Caspar’s face fell, something that Ashe didn’t miss. “Oh. Shoot.”

“Caspar…” Ashe narrowed his eyes at his friend, suspicion heavy in his tone. “What aren’t you telling me?”

Twiddling his thumbs, Caspar cleared his throat while refusing to meet Ashe’s gaze. “Well, about that. Turns out there isn’t an apothecary in this town and I had to make a potion for you.”

Ashe’s eyes drifted over to the book on the chair, finally recognizing the cover. “That makes sense, we’ve done it before. I know you know how to make such things.”

“Yeah but… Oh boy. The garden where I got the herbs was overgrown and they had a few that looked like one of the ingredients so I just used them both?” Caspar explained, looking like a child with his hand caught in the cookie jar.

“Caspar! Which ingredient did you add?” Ashe wondered though he was starting to get an idea.

“Uh, the last one. The grass with the ridges. There were two that looked the same, one a bit lighter than the other,” Caspar informed him.

Ashe’s eyes went wide. “You mixed up the Goddess’ Grace with Gautier’s Bloom?! The book clearly says to use the sage colored plant, while the other is olive colored! How can you not see the difference?”

“I don’t know. Both looked green to me.”

“One is a slightly darker shade of green! No wonder I can’t get this down! Gautier’s Bloom is meant to help those who can’t get it up. How much did you use?” Ashe shook his head, a mixture of shame and exasperation filling his head.

“Dunno. I gave a little more than the recommended dose in the book. I wanted you to heal up as quickly as possible!” Caspar shrugged.

“Goddess, why did I fall for someone like him?” Ashe muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“’Cause I’m a great knight probably,” Caspar hedged a guess, earning an embarrassed groan from Ashe.

“No, no you are not,” Ashe refused to acknowledge Caspar.

Caspar let out an offended squawk and puffed up his chest. “Excuse you? I singlehandedly took out all those brigands, brought Ed to justice, and saved your ass!”

“And yet you can’t tell the subtle differences in color. Subtlety was never your forte though,” Ashe admitted.

“Exactly!” Caspar agreed. “Wait, what?”

“What did you even do with- you know what we can have this discussion when I’m dressed. Can you please leave so I can take care of this? I don’t know how long its gonna last and it’d be rather embarrassing to walk around with it,” Ashe requested, allowing some of his nervousness to fade.

Caspar bit his bottom lip, his eyes focused on Ashe’s crotch. A sense of responsibility bubbled inside him along with a poorly concealed boner. The more he mulled it over the more his innate desire to help others surfaced.

“I got you into this and I’m going to help you get out of it,” Caspar declared.

Ashe’s eyes popped a bit at that statement. “Excuse me?”

Rather than answer the question, Caspar shirked off his shirt and unlaced his pants. “I gave you the wrong medicine so the least I could do is help you through this.”

“Th-that’s not necessary! I got it covered… wait, where’d you get those?” Ashe asked once Caspar dropped his pants and revealed the black jockstrap.

“This is my fault so I’m gonna fix it. Oh and I got it from Ed. Along with this,” Caspar answered, turning around to the glass vial from earlier out of his pants pocket. While not intentional, Caspar flashed Ashe with his ass while he bent down to retrieve the lube.

Ashe’s mouth dried at the unexpected sight. He wasn’t sure whether the potion was affecting his mind or not, but the sight of Caspar’s well shaped small and round ass coupled with the underwear that left nothing to the imagination made his cock twitch in excitement. Ashe even got to see a glimpse of Caspar’s virgin hole when he bent down to grab the flask, making the two cheeks part with ease.

When Caspar turned back around Ashe shook himself from the short stupor. He noticed a glass vial in his hands. “Where did you get that?”

“Ed said he found it while cleaning your stuff. He told me it’s for sex,” Caspar explained. “Where’d you get it?”

“I pilfered it from the bandit you killed to save Ed. It’s lubrication? I guess I could use that. Certainly feels better than just my hand,” Ashe admitted, still pink from earlier.

“We’re going to use it,” Caspar corrected, walking over to the edge of the bed. He sat down next to him, pulling the blanket back to reveal a very naked Ashe.

“What? Wait a minute, do you even know what you’re doing?!” Ashe pulled the blanket back in a vain attempt to hide himself but Caspar didn’t relinquish the fabric.

Caspar shrugged, casually readjusting his clothed erection. “Kinda. Linhardt talked about the basics, didn’t seem so hard.”

Quirking an eyebrow, Ashe asked the first question that popped in his head, his chest squeezing from jealousy. “You and Linhardt? Have you done this with him?”

“Lin? Oh no! No, no, no! He told me about it when he was seducing the Professor. Though it’s probably more honest to say the Professor got him…” Caspar rubbed his chin while he thought about it. He missed the wave of relief that washed over Ashe’s face. “I’ve never done this before.”

“Well then that makes two of us. I have some ideas from the old stories but all of them involve both of us being naked. Care to join me?”

Caspar’s mouth shut tight, his face tinting pink again. He nodded slowly and slipped his thumbs through the top of his underwear. Wordlessly he dropped the jockstrap, his dick springing free at full attention. Ashe’s gaze sent a chill down Caspar’s spine. Despite the excitement he felt Caspar still shyly draped a hand over himself.

It didn’t take Ashe long to understand his sudden nervousness.

“Its not fair. How’s it that you’re only a centimeter taller than me but so much bigger down there?!” Caspar exclaimed, pointing at Ashe’s dick. His friend’s was a good few inches bigger than him and under that dick worthy of a knight, two generously full balls hung low.

“I’m not a fair comparison, Caspar…” As Ashe trailed off, he gently pried away Caspar’s hands offering a view of his friend’s still prideful dick. Ashe couldn’t deny that his nine incher was bigger than Caspar’s, but he still loved every bit of it. “Besides, you’re obviously wider than I am.”

Ashe’s comparison caused Caspar to glance between the two of them.

“Oh, I think you’re right!” Caspar exclaimed, almost instantly forgetting his previous shame.

The direct contact of their cocks was enough to make Ashe moan, but to his surprise that actually brought Caspar over. While Ashe laid against the pillow on the bed to prop himself up, Caspar crawled between his legs and hovered over Ashe’s body until their dicks pressed against each other.

Caspar narrowed his eyes, grasping both dicks. A closer inspection revealed that Ashe’s other observation was also true. Caspar threw his hands in the air, exclaiming, “I am thicker! Finally, I’m bigger than you at something!”

“Keep your voice down!” Ashe leaned forward to press a hand over Caspar’s mouth. The sudden movement irked Ashe’s wounds and brought him crashing back to the pillows. With Caspar in his grasp, both boys tumbled down.

Caspar landed, his chest against Ashe’s and their dicks pressed together. His face went straight into the pillow next to Ashe’s head. He took a deep breath and it smelled like his favorite archer. Pulling back so their faces were barely apart, Caspar offered his trademark grin. “Sorry, got excited.”

Ashe softened his expression, a look of adoration overcoming him. “It’s alright. It’s part of what I like about you so much.”

Caspar’s grin shrunk as he felt his heart beating in his ears. His stomach twisted in knots when he processed his current situation but his mind short circuited when Ashe took the next action and closed the distance between them. Soft lips pressed against dried ones.

Those perfect green eyes closed while Caspar’s popped open.

The chaste kiss dulled most of Caspar’s nerves and he pushed back against Ashe. The two remained lip-locked until the need for air drove them apart, though neither dared to deepen the kiss. Both took heavy breaths but Ashe’s desire pushed him to make the next move.

“Hand me the lubricant and turn around,” Ashe ordered, sticking his hand out expectantly.

Caspar recoiled a bit, stunned by his request. “Excuse me?”

“You want to help me, yes?”

“Yeah but I thought I was gonna be on top…”

Ashe offered a skeptical expression. “I mean you will be on top technically.”

Caspar’s face flushed crimson. “Th-that’s not what I meant! Just cause you’re bigger doesn’t mean you automatically get to fuck me!”

Ashe choked at Caspar’s blunt words.

“I’m not doing that because I’m bigger! I’m still recovering so penetration is a no go,” he explained, rubbing the sides of his head with his fingers. He may have loved Caspar, not that the boy needed to know, but he truly was dense.

“Oh, I see. Well then, please be gentle,” Caspar requested, handing over the lube and flipping his position. His face remained crimson as he gave Ashe a close view of his most private spot. A squeak escaped him when he felt Ashe kiss one of his cheeks. “Hey!”

“I’ll take good care of you, just like you did of me,” Ashe whispered loud enough for Caspar to hear.  
Popping off the top, Ashe poured the lube onto his fingers. Once he generously coated two of them he brought one up to Caspar’s hole.

Caspar bit his bottom lip, awaiting the inevitable penetration. He inhaled sharply when he felt a cool finger play with his entrance. Where he expected Ashe to suddenly enter him, instead he felt Ashe’s digit circle his hole before entering cautiously. Plenty of time was given for him to adjust to the foreign feeling. Soon enough another finger joined the other. “Ahh, it feels so weird.”

“That’s what I’ve heard.” As his fingers were trying to stretch out Caspar, Ashe tried to think of other ways to relieve Caspar through the initial discomfort. His keen eyes were quick to spot two defenseless orbs hanging under Caspar’s crotch. Feeling this was the best course of action, Ashe reached for them, rolling the sac in his palm while his fingers were still trying to pry apart Caspar’s tightly closed entrance.

“Does this help?” Ashe asked with his hand full of Caspar’s balls. His companion moaned back to answer which Ashe took as positive.

“Be sure to tell me if it hurts too much,” Ashe replied. He paused the relief he had been giving Caspar via his balls and held the bottle of lube over Caspar’s ass, pouring more onto his fingers that were now pistoning in and out Caspar’s tight entrance. Ashe scissored his fingers, stretching him more and more. If he was actually going to fuck Caspar them he needed to be able to take at least one more. While he stretched his partner, Ashe bumped against a spot inside Caspar.

“Oh! What was that?” Caspar asked as pleasure shot up his spine, causing his dick to bounce. Between the extra attention and the embarrassment he was leaking all over the Ashe’s belly.

“You really should’ve paid more attention to the Professor’s lessons. That’s the reason you’re going to enjoy this as much as me, if we do this correctly,” Ashe chided him, getting enough courage to slip a third finger in. When possible he’d brush by Caspar’s prostate but never targeted it on purpose. He had his friend dripping all over him and that only brought Ashe closer to his third orgasm.

“Such a tease…” Caspar moaned.

“I think you’re ready,” Ashe announced, pulling out of Caspar. He took his slick fingers and wrapped them around his cock to coat his already messy dick with the extra lube. While he did that, Caspar crawled forward some more.

Caspar got to his knees and glanced over his shoulder to look back at Ashe. He pushed his ass out just enough so it hovered over Ashe’s crotch.

Taking the hint, Ashe lined up with Caspar’s entrance and guided Caspar down onto him slowly. The feeling of Caspar’s tight warmth enveloping his cock drew a sharp inhale from him. “Oh Caspar!”

On the other hand, Caspar pressed his eyes shut. He let out a held breath as he gradually impaled himself on Ashe. Even with the prep it was a lot to take in. Still he pushed himself until he managed to sink all the way down on Ashe. “Fuck…”

“Good job, Caspar,” Ashe congratulated. “Ready for the fun part?”

Caspar peered over his shoulder and offered a pained grin. “Yeah, let’s do this…”

True to his word Caspar took control of the situation and lifted his ass until only Ashe’s tip remained in him. He lowered himself until he was halfway down before rising again, setting a slow pace. His body adjusted to the foreign feeling, sending mixed signals to his brain but the fact he was doing this for Ashe stood out in Caspar’s mind. That thought kept him on edge and dripping.

Below Caspar Ashe bit back any rogue noises. Having Caspar riding him would’ve been more than enough to keep him at attention, even without the drug. Despite his friend taking his time, Caspar wasn’t going nearly deep enough or fast enough to satisfy the intense lust Ashe felt.

“Caspar, may I help?” Ashe requested using what little self-restraint he had left.

“Huh? Sure,” Caspar agreed, not realizing what permission he just gave.

“Okay, let me know if it hurts.”

“Will do-oh!” Caspar’s voice rose an octave when he felt Ashe push deeper into him. While not quite all the way he felt Ashe’s cock go in further than he was riding.

Ashe took control of the pace, arching his back so he could feel more of Caspar’s warmth. Even with the previous thrusting Caspar’s ass still felt nice and tight for him. Trying to remember where the prostate was earlier, Ashe tried aiming at various angles until he heard a moan escape Caspar. “There it is!”

Caspar barely had time to regain his composure before Ashe hit him where he loved again. Caspar bounced his ass on Ashe’s cock, matching pace with friend. The sensation of pushing down while Ashe pushed up was addictive. One of his hands reached for flopping dick, trying to stroke it along with his movements.

Slowly Ashe stopped pushing into Caspar’s ass, instead allowing his friend to regain control of the pace. Much to his pleasure his friend not only maintained the pace but gradually increased it and took him almost to the hilt. “You’re doing so well… feels so good!”

“Ah, I’m close. I think…” Caspar replied through moans.

“Me too! I’m gonna cum!” Ashe warned. Grabbing Caspar’s waist, he pulled him down all the way. “Goddess!”

Caspar’s eyes widened when he felt himself bottom out. That sensation almost drove him over the edge but he soon felt a new heat within. When he realized it was Ashe, the feeling combined with his own stroking pushed him over the edge. “Ah, fuck!”

Caspar’s load flew off the bed before making a mess between Ashe’s legs. The poor blanket would have to deal with that. He collapsed backwards onto Ashe’s belly.

“Ow! I’m still hurt,” Ashe gasped, causing Caspar to roll to his side and finally off Ashe’s dick.

“Sorry! I’m beat,” Caspar apologized. Though he couldn’t see it, he could feel his ass still stretched.

Ashe chuckled, his head turning towards the window. Dusk’s beautiful colors painted what he could see of the sky lavender and a muted red.

“Well you can make it up to me by staying right there for the night,” Ashe spoke, turning over to face his partner.

Caspar pressed his lips together, scratching the back of his head. “I don’t know. The floor was pretty comfortable last night…”

“Caspar!” Ashe reacted by playfully punched his shoulder. That brought Caspar closer to him. 

Slinging an arm over Ashe, Caspar pulled him so they were chest to chest. “Fine, I’ll stay the night. And any other nights that you want me to. I’m yours.”

Blushing at the statement, Ashe pressed their foreheads together. “Then we’re going to be doing this for a while.”

Feeling sleep starting to overcome him, Caspar let out a yawn. “That sounds good to me.”

Before Ashe passed out he pulled the dirty blanket over them and turned to face away from Caspar, scooting his back against the boy’s chest. The comforting warmth emanating from him lulled Ashe into a pleasantly dreamless slumber.

The next morning Ashe woke up to the sound of a commotion outside the room. Distant voices discussed something loudly inside the inn, but well beyond the door to their room. Ashe also discovered that Caspar sprawled during the night. Ashe awoke to a leg slung over his crotch and an arm draped over his head. Chuckling at his partner’s behavior, Ashe snuggled into Caspar’s side. His momentary joy came crashing down when the voices from before suddenly appeared just behind their door.

“I don’t think-”

“Oh, relax we’re friends! We attended Garreg Mach together! They won’t mind in the slightest,” a familiar loud voice insisted. 

Ashe had no time to untangle himself from Caspar’s body when the door slammed open to reveal a mop of fiery red hair.

“Ashe, Caspar! Rise and shine- oh,” Sylvain greeted, coming to a halt when he saw the two in bed together. His eyes drifted from them to the mess and back to their sheets. Without another word, he turned on his heel and slammed the door behind him. Through the door Ashe heard Sylvain’s voice. “They’ll be down in a bit.”

Mortification sunk into Ashe once more, leaving him wanting to die of embarrassment in the comfy bed.

Caspar on the other jerked awake, swinging his body around as he sat straight up. “Who in the what now?!”

Caspar’s tired eyes looked around the room for the source of the noise, tiling his head when he saw no obvious signs of disturbance.

“Sylvain is here,” Ashe stated, groaning loudly.

“Oh, I thought he woke me up,” Caspar chuckled. A loud crack echoed from his back when he stretched his arms.

“He saw us.”

“Hm?” Caspar glanced down at a rather naked Ashe, still wearing a puzzled expression. He then looked over his body and found himself also naked. Blinking twice, his mind put the pieces together. “Oh, shit!”

Caspar jumped out of the bed, nearly tripping over the dirty sheets. As soon as he stood he felt a pain emanating from his ass. He barely had time to process that before something trickled down his legs. His gaze fell to his inner thighs where he saw Ashe’s cum leaking from him. His face turned crimson.

Ashe stifled his laughter while he watched Caspar notice one thing after another. “I suppose we forgot to clean up afterwards.”

Caspar stood wide-eyed and red at the ears.

“I-I can’t go down like this!” Caspar panicked.

“And neither can I but Sylvain is expecting us. Bring me a change of clothes and one of our canteens.”

Nodding, Caspar limped over to their belongings. Pushing aside some rations, he found a flask with water and threw it onto the bed, narrowly missing Ashe’s leg. Next he grabbed Ashe some clothes and returned to the bed.

“Are you ok?” Ashe wondered. He reached out for his discarded underwear and the flask. He poured some water onto it and used it to wipe the mess on his chest. “This is going to be embarrassing but I need to see your ass. I’ll clean you.”

Caspar gave him a look of horror. Swallowing his pride, he sat on the bed and rearranged himself so Caspar had access to his hole. “Please and thank you…”

Taking his time, Ashe dabbed away at his mess. “How are you feeling?”

“Embarrassed.”

“I meant your butt…”

Caspar remained red, shaking his head. He replied with a weak voice. “Sore… but I’ll get over it.”

“As long as you can walk,” Ashe chuckled to himself. He worked his way up Caspar’s thighs until his legs were washed. “I’m going to see what I can get out of ya.”

“Just hurry…” Caspar begged, stirring Ashe’s dick.

A pang of pain shot through Ashe’s crotch when his dick moved. He winced from the pain but wasn’t surprised with how much they used it yesterday.

“Will do.” Reaching into Caspar, Ashe cleaned what he could. He refrained from commenting on how loose Caspar’s hole was, though the thought brought another blush to his cheek. He did this after all. After a minute he deemed him ready. Ashe leaned down to kiss Caspar’s cheeks once more. “All done.”

“I know you’re a kiss ass, Ashe, but you don’t need to do it every time,” Caspar sputtered back, enjoying the offended gasp he coaxed out of his partner. Reaching for his discarded jockstrap, Caspar readjusted his body so he could start getting dressed.

Ashe stood up from the bed so he could do the same, rolling his eyes every time Caspar’s sudden movements caused him to flinch. “You need to go slow.”

“No,” Caspar refused, slipping on his pants.

Ashe smiled at Caspar’s childish behavior and waited for him to get gully dressed.

When they were ready, both left the room in casual clothes. Caspar was careful with his steps, not wanting to make his limp obvious but descending the stairs into the tavern tested his resolve. As they entered the room the boys found Sylvain chatting at a table with the elders. Several other men in armor bearing the crest of House Gautier drank at the bar.

“Ah, our heroes!” The mayor announced when they came into view.

Sylvain peered over his shoulder, offering his usual smolder.

Caspar grinned back at them while Ashe nodded.

“Glad to see you’re alive and well,” Sylvain quipped.

“You must be Ashe, thank you for helping take care of Kota and his gang,” the mayor spoke. “I’m happy to see your injuries have healed up well.”

“It was no problem, truly,” Ashe replied. He and Caspar pulled up two chairs by the group. “Glad to see you too, Sylvain.”

“First things first, a congratulations are in order,” Sylvain gestured to the pair. Ashe and Caspar both went pale at those words, something that didn’t escape Sylvain’s eyes. He quickly finished his statement. “For defeating the bandits! My father sent me here with some of our men to do the job ourselves but you beat us to it. So, congrats for that. And nothing else.”

Ashe and Caspar nodded quickly, both turning pink.

“Ed, my boy, bring the heroes some food,” the mayor ordered.

“Yes, sir!” A voice answered from the bar.

While Ed fetched the food, Sylvain turned his attention back to the pair.

“So, I think the goddess is smiling on me today because I had no idea you two were in Gautier territory. The newly anointed king sent request to my father as well as some of the noble houses. We have sightings of a new demonic beast rampaging just outside Fhirdiad and I was going to help take care of it,” Sylvain explained, his tone getting unusually serious.

“A demonic beast? Couldn’t the king and his army take care of it if it’s that close to the capital?” Ashe wondered, a bit surprised by the request.

“He would but Gilbert refuses to let Dimitri risk his life so soon after uniting the land. Instead he requested that several of our old classmates help deal with it. Supposedly its stronger than the average one we fought before. Would you two care to join me? We’ll be passing through Fraldarius territory on the way so I was going to pick up Felix too. I just bet he’s itching to use his sword once more,” Sylvain chuckled at the thought.

Caspar and Ashe exchanged tiny smiles, both already knowing the other’s answer.

“A chance to fight another demonic beast and see everyone again? Count us in!” Caspar announced, earning a cheer from the others in the bar.

While everyone celebrated, Ed brought over some food and set the platter on the table.

“For the hungry heroes,” Ed gestured to the plate, his eyes briefly meeting with Ashe’s. His stomach fell and guilt clawed at him. “Also, sorry for my actions. I’m glad to see you alive and well.”

Ashe went wide-eyed when he heard the apology but nodded. “Thank you for the food.”

Caspar reached out to grab an apple from the platter, choosing to ignore Ed.

“Of course. I’ll bring your armor by when I finish mending it this morning,” Ed informed Ashe. Before taking his leave he walked over to Caspar and whispered into his ear. “I told you so.”

Caspar choked on his apple, his cheeks tinting pink as Ed walked away laughing loudly.

Ashe furrowed his brow at Caspar's sudden reaction, narrowing his eyes at Ed. His would-be assassin wore a devilish smile but it didn't have the same venom from when he backstabbed him. Ed returned to the bar, swaying his hips all the way back.

"What did he say?" Ashe wondered, his voice quiet.

Caspar grabbed a nearby drink, using it to drown his choking. "Nothing. He didn't say anything."

Sylvain tilted his head in confusion, his eyes falling to the drink. "Well, that was mine but I'll let it slip this one time."

Caspar glanced down and realized what he did. Instead of apologizing, he pulled it closer to himself. "Thanks."

Sylvain wore his usual easy smile and relaxed into his chair. "I know it's a bit soon but since you already kindly took care of the bandit problem I wanted to leave for Fraldarius this afternoon. I spoke with the mayor here and I know they're fixing up your equipment but they should have it done by then. Would that work for the both of you?"

Nodding, Ashe didn't need to look at Caspar to know how excited he would be for a new challenge.

"Yeah, we can go once I get my armor back."

Ashe's eyes drifted back to the bar and he saw Ed already leaning on the counter, talking with a few of the guards.

"Don't worry about my boy, he does wonderful work," The mayor chuckled.

"Oh that's not it…"

The mayor nodded.

"I understand your trepidation but you can trust his work. He's made some poor choices but he really has a golden heart."

Ashe pressed his lips together and nodded, though the sore spots in his back and gut begged to differ.

"Don't worry about timing. My men will go back to Kota's base and retrieve the remaining supplies for the village. It's something for us to do while you two get your things together," Sylvain explained.

The boys nodded, continuing to eat.

The rest of their breakfast was kept lighthearted. Between Sylvain's jokes, Ashe's retelling of their adventure, and occasional choking from Caspar eating too fast the meal felt warm and familial. 

At the end of the meal Caspar and Ashe excused themselves to go pack their belongings.

They only had a few moments to themselves before they heard a loud knocking at their door.

“Hey, guys, it’s me,” Sylvain announced himself but didn’t step in.

“Just a minute,” Ashe shouted back in a panic, stumbling over to the bed. Adrenaline drove his speedy cleaning of the sheets, chucking them to the corner along with the dirty clothes. The bed creaked under his weight as Ashe struggled to open the window to try and air the room out.

Caspar rolled his eyes, no longer stressing. He opened the door, speaking to his partner, “He already knows.”

Sylvain chuckled, offering an awkward smile at Ashe’s crimson face while he fought the locks on the windowsill.

“Doesn’t mean he has to see it…” Ashe groaned.

“Appreciate the thought but Caspar’s not wrong,” Sylvain confirmed, walking over to a wall and leaning on it. “I’m trusting you two didn’t consummate your love on this spot?”

Ashe’s mouth dropped, gaping like a fish out of water while Caspar tilted his head in confusion.

“That’s possible?” Caspar wondered aloud.

Sylvain laughed loudly at that. “Caspar, my young, naïve friend. We have much to discuss on the way back to the capital.”

“Please don’t,” Ashe pleaded, his words falling on deaf ears.

“Really? I mean- well. Eh screw it, cat’s out of the bag. I’m down for tips,” Caspar decided. While impolite, he returned to gathering the objects he scattered in search of the water from earlier that morning. He began organizing what he could back into their saddlebags.

Sylvain smiled widely at that, “Finally! Someone who I can share my vast knowledge with!”

Giving up on the window Ashe turned to their old classmate. “Vast knowledge? Aren’t you still single?”

Sylvain’s bravado fell with the question.

“Ouch, Ashe. And while that may be true it doesn’t mean I don’t have experience in matters of the bed.”

“Taking a maiden’s innocence outside of marriage? How unchivalrous of you.”

Sylvain feigned a hurt look.

The melodramatic act had no effect on Ashe.

“Normally I wouldn’t tell anyone this but…” Sylvain began, his voice quieting while he turned to lock the door. His shift in behavior drew the other two’s attention. “Since I know you two swing that way… I never said my expertise came from deflowering maidens.”

Caspar and Ashe both gawked at their friend’s confession.

Sylvain’s eyes fell to the floor, a pink tint coloring his cheeks almost as red as his hair.

“B-b-but you’re a skirt chaser!” Ashe replied louder than he intended.

“Shhh!” Sylvain ran forward and covered Ashe’s mouth with his hand. “I know, I know! And look I love girls too but- I’ve never wanted to fuck one.”

Caspar crossed his arms over his chest, his lips pulling into a frown. “Could of fooled me. Then why all the drama back at Garreg Mach?”

Sylvain relaxed at the mention of their old school.

“Like I said, I still love women. But I couldn’t risk it…”

“Risk what?” Caspar quirked an eyebrow.

Sylvain narrowed his eyes, answering that question with a question. “How much do you know about me and my family?”

Shrugging, Caspar answered, “I dunno. I know protect the northern borders and that your brother stole the Lance of Ruin before I joined you guys.”

Sylvain frowned at the sour memory.

Ashe pulled Sylvain’s hand away from his mouth, taking a deep breath. He quickly regained it before giving a brief explanation. “Sylvain, please stop me if I go too far, but suffice to say that Sylvain bore a crest and his brother didn’t. His father has been trying to get him married to secure an heir for House Gautier. There’s more but that’s for Sylvain to say.”

“That’s fine, Ashe. I think you covered the gist of it,” Sylvain spoke quietly.

“Oh, I get it,” Caspar offered a sympathetic expression. “Crests make nobles do dumb things and you don’t want to accidentally bring a kid like that into the world. Doesn’t explain all the drama but I get the no sex part.”

“That’s an explanation for another day but I had my role to play in class,” Sylvain spoke, his confidence returning to his tone. “I was the skirt chaser, as Ashe put it. His majesty was the caring future king, Dedue the ever-faithful servant, Mercedes always gentle and caring, Annette the bookworm, Ingrid and Ashe our stalwarts knights in training, and Felix…” Sylvain drifted at the mention of their last classmate. His face grew somber. “Always training.”

“Anyways,” Ashe broke Sylvain from his stupor by clearing his throat. “Thank you for entrusting us with such information.”

“No worries. You’re not the first to know but its good to know we finally have another couple,” Sylvain chuckled, leaning back against the wall with his arms folded behind his head. He watched while Caspar returned to milling about their belongings.

Ashe remained on the bed sitting cross legged. He furrowed his brow at the mention of more. “Another couple? Who else did you tell? I thought none of us got together… yet.”

Sylvain’s smile softened. “I know I shouldn’t buuuuut… Mercie and Annette weren’t exactly subtle.”

Ashe’s eyes widened, his mouth opening wide. “No way! They really were? Felix owes me 100 gold!”

Sylvain laughed loudly at that. “You made a bet on them? You aren’t as noble as I thought.”

At the insinuation Ashe shrunk into himself.

“More than you still,” Caspar quipped, earning another chuckle from Sylvain.

“Touché,” Sylvain conceded. Glancing back the pair’s belongings a smirk formed on his face. Slowly walking across the room, Sylvain stopped at the end of their bed. “Though to be honest, I wouldn’t have pegged you for the type to be on the receiving end Caspar.”

Both boys flushed at that remark.

“W-who said I was?” Caspar squeaked back, causing Ashe to hit his own head with his palm.

The audible smack brought Sylvain to laughter.

“With the way you’re walking? Come on, Caspar,” Ashe groaned.

“Don’t worry, both ends can be fun,” Sylvain winked at the pair, earning more shocked expressions. “What? I’m a generous lover. Just make sure you clean the entire mess afterwards.”

“Huh?” Caspar reacted, tilting his head.

“I’m saying remove all evidence that you had fun. Though Ashe must’ve been doing something right if you reached this far,” Sylvain taunted, grabbing Caspar’s armor. He laid the chestpiece down on the bed across Ashe’s lap. From that angle both boys could see the dried white mess coating the metal.

“Huh? How did I go that far?!” Caspar gasped as Sylvain turned to leave, clutching his sides from how hilarious his friend’s reaction was.

“It means Ashe is better at this than I thought,” Sylvain chimed in as he opened the door.

“Sylvain!” Both of them replied in unison as the door shut on them.

When the afternoon rolled around, the boys finished strapping their bags onto their horses. Caspar now wore his armor, freshly polished, while Ashe waited in casual clothes. The Gautier soldiers returned an hour earlier with all they deemed valuable from the ruins and delivered to the tavern to be sorted. The boys refrained from helping at the insistence of the mayor.

As Ashe secured the last strap, he turned to see a familiar long haired boy approaching with a basket. His stomach twisted but he maintained his composure.

“As promised,” Ed began, presenting the basket. “Freshly repaired armor.”

Ashe’s eyes glanced down, confirming it was his. He quietly picked it up, allowing the thick fabric to unfold. Much to his surprise, not only were the holes missing but also any trace of grime or any other war injuries disappeared. “Wow, thank you. This is more than I expected.”

As the shirt completely unfolded in Ashe’s hands, a loud clank was heard as a brown satchel fell back into the basket.

“And you guys gave me more than I deserved. It was the least I could do. On top of that,” Ed replied curtly, gesturing to the satchel. “What I did was terrible yet you both rescued me from my kidnappers. After seeing so many I knew get taken and killed by them my faith in justice died with them. The very thought of people proclaiming justice sickened me, and it still does honestly. But you two showed me that there’s some truth to the stories of old, about knights in shining armor. Even if they’re an adorably dense puppy and silver haired archer.”

“Your welcome,” Ashe thanked him, Ed’s touching words bringing a gentle smile to his face. His eyes fell back to the mysterious bag in the basket. Quirking an eyebrow, Ashe picked up the bag. More glass clanking could be heard, confusing him. “What is this?”

When Ashe attempted to open the bag, Ed placed a hand over his. That familiar devilish smile returned as he explained, “A token of good faith from Kota. You didn’t get anything for your trouble besides a hole in your gut so consider this payment.”

More confused than before, Ashe realized where he got it from. “You’re still skimming supplies? I thought you learned your lesson! To take from your own-”

“Oh get off your high horse, damn it,” Ed interrupted, rolling his eyes. He closed his hand around Ashe’s and pushed the bag towards him. “I wouldn’t take anything important from the village. This gift is entirely useless to everyone here. Well, except me. And maybe that Gautier guard who keeps staring at my ass. Max was his name I think…”

“Huh?” Ashe wondered, puzzled by Ed’s words.

“Please don’t be as dense as your boyfriend over there,” Ed heaved a breath, causing Ashe to sputter and go red. 

“W-we ar-”

“And don’t you try to deny it, we both know I saw this coming a mile away,” Ed cut him off. His smirked widened as Ashe’s freckled faded under his intense blush. “The point I’m trying to make is that this gift will help your relationship go smoother. You two will gel together better, you could say.”

Ashe’s eyes widened at the insinuation. “Oh. Oh goddess.”

“Good, you understand much faster than Caspar. This should help him when you wreck that pert little ass again. And from the way he was walking this morning, let’s just say I wish I saw what you were packing. Great job though,” Ed winked, nearly knocking Ashe onto his ass. Leaving the master archer speechless only fed his ego further. “Arrows can silence a man with precision, but words can achieve the same effect.”

The devilish grin on Ed’s face dropped when he felt a hand clap onto his shoulder.

“And sometimes one should learn to quit while they’re ahead,” Sylvain interrupted, offering the thief his usual grin. His sudden appearance drained the blood from Ed’s face.

“M-milord!” Ed stammered back.

“Thanks for giving my friends a means to reduce the friction in their fun but we must get going,” Sylvain chuckled, causing Ed to clutch the basket to his chest.

“Yes, sir!”

As Ed turned to leave, Sylvain tightened his grip on his shoulder.

“Oh and your earlier observation about my guard is right. For the record he loves bergamot tea and other sweets. And he has a fondness for violets.”

Ed blinked at the unsolicited advice, soon turning red. “Th-thank you for that knowledge, milord.”

Ashe watched with an amused smile as Ed shyly scurried away, his gaze now turning to the Gautier men who prepared to leave.

“That was sweet of you Sylvain,” Ashe smiled. “I’m just glad I got to finally see someone leave him speechless.”

“Watch this,” Sylvain smirked. He turned his gaze to his soldiers and shouted. “Hey, Maximillian and Frederick! You’re the rear guard for us in case any of Kota’s friends some looking for us. Stay here for a week before meeting us at the capital. We’ll have Duke Fraldarius by then!””

“Sir, yes sir!” Two men saluted. Neither noticed the way Ed stiffened like a board upon hearing the news. 

“Oh and keep a few vulneraries around. Never know when something might get you out here.” Sylvain advised, earning an offended squawk from Ed.

“O-okay, sir?” The guards replied, confused by the bizarre order.

As Ashe turned to dawn his armor, he glanced over Sylvain and spoke, “So, tell me how you know so much about Max.”

Sylvain laughed loudly at the question, though Ashe didn’t miss his face turning red. “That is a conversation for the road and with a lot more alcohol.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That ended up being much longer than I intended but damn if I didn't enjoy writing these two idiots, as well as accidentally making an OC that gained a life of his own. Ed is such a treasure for wit and sass that he's gonna be the template for my next DND character.
> 
> If people want I did lay the foundation of a potential sequel but featuring Sylvain and Felix as the center of attention because they're another fave pairing of mine.
> 
> Please let me know what you thought and if you'd love to see more! I'd enjoy doing more with either Ashe and Caspar or with Sylvain and Felix. The banter will present in either kind of story.

**Author's Note:**

> The rest of the story will be on its way soon! There's far too few Ashe x Caspar stories and I had to rectify that.
> 
> Please leave a comment and let me know your thoughts!


End file.
